Senate Republicans Comment on State Vehicle Report from Auditor General Jack Wagner

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25), Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-9), and Senator Mike Folmer (R-48) today commented on the release of Auditor General Jack Wagner's Special Report on the administration's use and management of state vehicles.

Senator Scarnati said:

"When we first asked Auditor General Wagner to examine the use of state vehicles in March of last year, we had no idea how deep and wide the problems were. This report is simply jaw-dropping. As the report says, DGS was unable to ensure the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. That cannot be tolerated."

Senator Pileggi said:

"The poor and often non-existent records at DGS mean that we may never know how much money has been wasted. We are grateful to the Auditor General and his staff for the hard work that went into preparing this special report, but we are shocked by what this report reveals. It is inconceivable that DGS could not even provide a reliable list of the names of all drivers with permanently assigned vehicles."

Senator Folmer said:

"This is a scathing report that reveals an appalling disregard for the taxpayers. There is a desperate need for reform and transparency in the management of state vehicles.

"Clearly, the time is right to enact Senate Bill 104, which would put common-sense restrictions on the use of state vehicles and establish a much more transparent reporting system. We are reviewing the Auditor General's report in detail to see how my legislation can be strengthened."

Contact:

Casey Long (Sen. Scarnati)
(717) 787-7084
Erik Arneson (Sen. Pileggi)
(717) 787-4712
Beth Williams (Sen. Folmer)
(717) 787-5708